Role: Field Officer

Background: GiveDirectly is driving a re-evaluation of the assumptions underlying international philanthropy with a provocative model: we deliver donations directly to the extreme poor and let them decide what to do with them. This approach builds on two converging trends: the rapid spread of electronic last-mile payments solutions in the emerging markets, and the large body of experimental evidence showing that direct transfers are as or more cost-effective at reducing poverty than more traditional, top-down approaches. GiveDirectly’s field operations utilize state-of-the-art technology and business processes to deliver transfers securely, efficiently, and transparently. Our unorthodox approach – allowing the poor, and not the donor, to choose where they invest – has prompted debate in the popular press and among policy makers. GiveDirectly has been featured on NPR’s This American Life, and in Foreign Affairs, The Economist, and The New York Times. It was named one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Finance by FastCompany, one of the 25 Most Audacious Companies by Inc., and one of GiveWell’s top-rated charities for 7 years running.

Overview: The Field Officer will play a critical day-to-day role in delivering GiveDirectly’s gold-standard cash transfer product to donors and recipients. The Field Officer will carry out and support a variety of activities, depending on his / her team assignment and GiveDirectly’s needs on any given day. In short, the Field Officer will be responsible for executing the recipient surveys and associated processes that facilitate GiveDirectly’s unique cash transfer model. The role will reward high-quality judgment on operational questions and challenges, work ethic, communication skills, and a strong commitment to GiveDirectly’s mission and model.

Responsibilities

• Census team
  • Ensure every household on the roster is reached (over the phone for now)
  • Complete census surveys using smart-phones with accurate data
• Registration team
  • Explain GiveDirectly’s program to all eligible households
  • Identify and eliminate ineligible households
  • Complete surveys using smart-phones with accurate data
• Audit team
  • In cases of fraud or irregularities, administer surveys to households to determine whether the household should be enrolled in the program

Required qualifications:

• The ideal candidate for the GiveDirectly Field Officer job opportunity must hold a Degree in a relevant field
• One to two years’ experience working with vulnerable communities
• Computer and mobile device data entry knowledge and experience with good typing skills
• Empathy, honesty, and the highest standards of integrity
• Strong interest in advancing the distinctive values and mission of GiveDirectly
• Fluency in Kinyarwanda and excellent communication skills
• Patience and good judgment in resolving recipient problems